eviction

American  

[ih-vik-shuhn] / ɪˈvɪk ʃən /

noun

evictions plural

1. the act of forcing a tenant, or sometimes a squatter, to vacate a property (often used attributively).

   A local mother and her two daughters were given a court-ordered eviction, with four days to leave their apartment.

   When the rent got far enough behind, the landlord finally sent the tenants an eviction notice.

2. the act of forcing someone to leave; expulsion.

   He is facing potential eviction from the Senate for failure to pay the costs of his unsuccessful legal battle.

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Usage

What is an eviction moratorium? An eviction moratorium is an order that prohibits, under certain circumstances, landlords and property owners from evicting tenants, typically for not paying rent. In 2020, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an eviction moratorium during the COVID-19 pandemic. The order was intended to prevent people from losing a place to stay due to inability to pay rent upon losing income—ultimately to prevent further spread of the virus. The CDC’s moratorium did not release tenants from their requirement to pay rent and did not prohibit eviction for reasons beyond failure to pay rent, such as criminal activity. The first CDC moratorium was issued on September 4, 2020, and was extended multiple times before expiring on July 31, 2021. At the time of its expiration, searches on Dictionary.com for the words eviction and moratorium increased. On August 3, 2021, the CDC issued another eviction moratorium in response to a rise in cases related to the Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus. The second moratorium was narrower, only applying to counties with significantly high rates of COVID-19 infections. It was set to be in effect until October 3, 2021.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• noneviction
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• evictions
  plural

Etymology

Origin of eviction

First recorded in 1450–1500, for an earlier sense; from Latin ēvictiōn-, stem of ēvictiō “recovery of one's property by law,” from ēvincere “to overcome, conquer”; see evict ( def. ), -ion ( def. )

Explanation

An eviction is when a renter or tenant is forced to move out by a property owner. If you don't pay rent for months, you run the risk of eviction. It's most often a landlord who brings an eviction against someone who's renting an apartment or house. In most states, an eviction follows some kind of legal action — the landlord usually has to prove that the tenant hasn't paid rent or isn't following the terms of the lease. The Late Latin root of the word eviction is evictionem, "recovery of property by judicial decision."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

eviction evictions

But he did have 10,000 books in a 600-square-foot studio; the letter stated that this was a fire hazard and delivered an ultimatum: Lose the books or risk eviction.

From Salon ● Jul. 23, 2026

“We are in love with our institution,” said Atul Dev, a retired army officer who is part of a group leading efforts to stave off eviction in the courts.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026

The eviction crisis arose when federal officials announced last year that the $5-billion emergency voucher program approved by Congress in 2021 was running out of funds at the end of 2026.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026

This may escalate if he feels threatened with eviction.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026

I couldn't imagine Mary being as helpless as the old woman at the eviction, and by the time I reached the apartment I had begun to lose my depression.

From "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison

These evictions crushed their belongings and their humanity.

From Slate ● Jun. 27, 2026

Raman, who represents an affluent Hollywood Hills district, led the effort to reduce evictions, capping rent increases at 4% for apartments built before October 1978.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 1, 2026

Landlord Action, a legal service for landlords, and tenants' union Acorn have both reported a rise in Section 21 "no fault" evictions.

From BBC ● Apr. 27, 2026

By helping people keep their Medicaid coverage, connecting them to benefits, eliminating their medical debt and helping prevent evictions, we’re not just talking about putting more money into people’s pockets.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 23, 2026

"Brother, are we still to fight against evictions?"

From "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison

Related Words

• dispossession
• ejection
• expulsion
• ouster
• removal